Machine for brushing citrus or other fruits



May 7, 1935. V T, w, L E 2,000,779

MACHINE FOR BRUSHING CITRUS OR OTHER FRUITS Filed May 11, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 I, 1. ,I 1 I. I .i 1-1 3 (7 IIZLv I 13 18 15 18b May 7, 1935.

T. WfMlLLER MACHINE FOR BRUSHING CITRUS OR OTHER FRUIT S Filed May 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

ILL-ll.

oeoeooa ooopooo such as coned pulleys or the like will be incorporated in the drive to allow of variation in the reciprocating speedof the brushes.

To guide the fruit over the machine, two parallel side boards 20 and 2| pass from one end thereof to the other. Their inside faces are preferably lined with sponge rubber strip 22 to preventi-damageto the fruit. The feed board 24, thecentre board 25, and the discharge.

board 26 are likewise similarly covered for the same reason, as well as other parts of the machine in contact with the fruit.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2 the in both units are of narrow width connected at either end to their respectivecarriermem-f Furthermore they are arranged'so that bers. the brushes of one set reciprocate inthe spaces between the brushes of the other set. machine illustrated the brushes forming the unit at the feed end are of rubber while the otherunit end which will cause the fruit to gravitate againstthe. top brushes while being acted upon by the reciprocating bed of. brushes. To assist in...this' action; and in addition, to providefurther brushing means, a. brusher conveyor is mountedas a, separate unit above the reciprocati-ng brushesas clearly shownin Figs. 1 and 3. ,This unit. comprises a pair of driven chain wheels 36 a pair of driving chain wheels 3| mounted'on a shaft 32qjournalled in tightening bearings 33,, and carrying at its outer end the drivingpulley or chain wheel 34. .Two'endless chains 35 and'36 pass over the chain wheels and carry angle iron crossbearers 31 to which are attached the fiegribly mounted wiping brushes M, ,The chains are of known type: provided with lugged or tabbed links 39 at suitably spaced intervals to take the ends of the crossbearers 31. The flexible means comprises inthis case a sheet of rubber impregnated belting cut to form tongues 40 each of which is fixed to a rubber brush 4! whose action isclearly illustrated in Fig. ,1, where 42' represents an orange being acted upon by one of the brushes 4|. The whole weight of; the brusher conveyor is supportedon two; longitudinal bearers 42 and 43 adapted to be vertically adjustable in. relation tothe reciprocating brusher units. This may bearranged by means of angle cleats 44 locatable vertically bythe series of holes 45, .or screw or other mechanical means may be employed for achiev ing this purpose. It will be evident that this vertical adjustment of the brusher conveyor is an important feature, since it enables the contact pressurebetween the fruit and the reciprocating brushes, to be controlledwithin wide limits,.t hereby regulating the severity of the brushing action. In addition it assists in propelling the fruit over the machine, and in this man- ,.l1e1f--also controls the capacity. The brusher conveyor is driven independently from thereciprocating brush units and has some form of change speed mechanism incorporated in its drive, which adjustability of speed provides a QQP FPHmQ mean is? th o p em c ebrushes I iable locating or guiding angle cleats 5Q.

brush carriers are conveniently constructed from In. the

To prevent turning or canting of the cross bearers 31 due to the twisting moment caused by the flexing of the tongues 40 when in contact with the fruit, chain ways 46 are provided for guiding the tight side of each chain. These chain ways will preferably be lined with friction strips 4'! and may conveniently be fixed beneath the bearing supporting frame members 48. "Fig. 4 shows the method of supporting the brush carriers and locating them longitudinally of the machine.

The horizontal. legs of the angle wearing strips I1 support the rollers l6 while their vertical legs provide, side rubbing strips for the adjust- The channel sectioned steel, a slotted plate 5! being welded on adjacent each end to form adjustable attaching means for the cleats 58. In a modified construction, single-flanged rollers may be used as. the locatingand. guiding means for the reciprocating brushcarriers.

In operation the machine works the fol-1 lowing manner: Thefruit to be cleaned is delivered to the feed board 24 whence it rolls onto the reciprocating brushes between the side boards 253 and 2i. Simultaneously the. brushes of the brusher conveyor continually pass over ,it, imparting a wiping action and a downward pressure and at the same time partly propelling or rolling the fruit towards the. discharge end.

In thismanner the whole, surface of the skin of the fruit is subjected to a thorough brushing and polishing action whichremoves scale and dirt adhering to its surface. In the machine illustrated the firstbrusher unit is composed-0f rubber brushes while the second is made upof hair for fibre, brushes; The arrangement of the brushes-may of course be altered to suit the conditionsof working; In somecases, such as with very dirty or scaly fruit, more than half the brushes'maybe of rubber,.while with less scaly fruit thegreaterproportion may be of the hair fibre or bristle type. By suitablyproportioning the.,typ es of brushes it is therefore possible to deal with various conditions of fruit in the most efiicient manner. i

w ile theremainder is used for drying and polishing. w I 1 Although-theembodiment of the invention described and illustrated is constructed to deal more particularly with citrus fruits,jmodif1ca tions may. be: readily made to adapt the machine for use withother types of fruit.

The machine may also be used totreat fruit with. .wax orother preservative, which when applied tothe brushes .by suitable means, will be transferred to -the surface, of the fruit. The last few .rows of brushes will then act as polishm means. WhatIclaim is: w a 3. 1. An apparatus for treating fruit comprising a frame, means for feeding fruit through said apparatus, a set of spaced upwardlydirected brushes. arranged at. right angles to the direction of movement of. said fruit and supportingsaid fruitin its travel through the apparatus, means forreciprocating said set of .brushes, a second set o fupwardly directed brushes located bei rush s. Q said. fi t, s mea s o reciprocating said second set of brushes oppo-.

.brushes and to assist in propelling the fruit through the apparatus and to increase the effec-' tiveness of the cleaning operation,

'2. An apparatus for treating fruitcomprising' a frame, means for feeding fruit through said apparatus, a set of spaced upwardly directed brushes arranged at .right angles to the direction of movement of said fruit and supporting said fruit in its travel through the apparatus, j

means for reciprocating said set of brushes, a second set of upwardly directed brushes located between the brushes of said first set, means for reciprocating said second set of brushes oppositely to said first set, apair of endless chains mounted above said reciprocating sets of brushes, independent means for driving said chains, cross barscarried by said chains, flexible tongues mounted upon said cross bars and brushes mounted upon, said flexible tongues."

3. An apparatus for treating Iruitcomprising a frame, means for feeding fruit through said apparatus, a set of spaced upwardly directed brushes arranged at right angles to the direction of movement of said fruit and supporting said fruit in its travel through the apparatus, means for reciprocating said set of brushes,;a second set of upwardly directed brushes located between the brushes of said first set, means Ior reciproe eating said second set of brushes oppositely to.

said first set, a pair of endlesschains located above said reciprocating sets or; brushes, cross cars carried by said endlesschains adapted to move in the direction of movement of the fruit through'said apparatus, flexibletongues carried 'by said crossbars, brushes mounted upon said tongues and guiding means for said' endless chains located along, the course of movement of said endless chains inrproximity to'saidfruit;

4. An apparatus for treating fruit comprising a frame, means forfeeding fruitthrough said apparatus, a set of spaced upwardly directedff 15 tion ofmovement ofsaid fruit and supporting brushes arranged at right angles to the direcsaid fruit in its travel through the apparatus, 0

means for reciprocating said set of brushes, a1 second set of upwardly directed brushes located betweenthebrushes of saidifirst set, means for reciprocating said secondset of brushes oppositely to said first set, a pair of endless chains located above said reciprocating sets of brushes,

said chains moving in the direction of travel of said fruit through said apparatus alongtheir lower courses, "cross bars carried by said endless I chains, flexible tongues mounted upon said cross distance between said chains and said reciproeating sets of brushes.

QTREVLYNV WHI'ITAL MILLER. 

